Philadelphia Eagles: Birds looking to flip the script against the Lions

Philadelphia Eagles head coach Andy Reid watches from the sideline in the fourth quarter of an NFL football game against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012, in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh won 16-14.(AP Photo/Don Wright)

It beats the wild and crazy week of hype featuring Michael Vick, head coach Andy Reid and the Eagles, who’ve fended off more questions about outside issues than about the Detroit Lions, their opponent today at Lincoln Financial Field.

Vick’s inability to hold the football and his statement confirming ownership of a family dog made him the source of national humor. Not coincidentally his autobiography is shooting up the charts on Amazon.

In what’s become an almost weekly rite the Eagles are denying allegations they take cheap shots. The nasty Pittsburgh Steelers are the latest team tagging them.

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Amid the buildup the Eagles must address a small handful of significant technical issues. To wit, the Eagles need a new script to rush the quarterback, a better plan to generate decent field position on special teams, a renewed effort to reduce turnovers and above all, a legit formula to score points.

The latter two points go together like milk and Oreos. Five of the Eagles’ NFC-high 14 turnovers have come in the red zone. That’s why the Eagles average just 16 points, their lowest figure since 1999, Reid’s first year as their coach.

“You can’t really take the turnovers out of the equation,” wide receiver Jason Avant said. “I think defenses are doing more things to stay deep. They know that if they can just keep everything in front of them eventually they’ll bat a ball down, eventually someone will miss a block or eventually someone will miss a pass. It’s a harder game like that. But you have to prove that you can keep drives alive consistently to make a defense come up so you can get a play behind them.”

The good news this week is the Eagles (3-2) take on a team that also has a passion for beating itself.

Like the Eagles, the Lions (1-3) rank statistically near the top third of the NFL in both offense and defense. Turn the film on and it’s apparent how they’ve invented ways to lose.

The Lions have allowed six return touchdowns, double the next most unfortunate team in the league. Four of those scores have come on kick returns, the remaining two on fumble recoveries.

“Football is a game of momentum,” Eagles special teams captain Colt Anderson said. “When special teams gets a big play or gives up a big play that’s going to reflect on what the offense or defense can do. I’m not sure exactly what’s happening with them. We kind of watched them on film. But all it takes is one guy to be out of place. All 11 guys have got to be on the same page.”

Look for DeSean Jackson to be used judiciously this week to improve the Eagles’ punt return average, an anemic 6.0 yards by rookie Damaris Johnson. The Lions are surrendering 27.3 yards per punt return.

Whoever returns kickoffs should expect success as well, for the Lions allow 32.8 yards per pop. You would have to believe someone like wide receiver Jeremy Maclin could help.

Defensively the Eagles are going to face the maximum protection formations with tight ends or backs staying in to block that have limited them to just seven sacks this season.

Quarterback Matthew Stafford has one certified target in Calvin Johnson, who basically is the offense in light of tight end Brandon Pettigrew’s dropped passes.

“I guess we’ve got to do better in the back end,” defensive end Brandon Graham said, a reference to the Eagles’ pass coverage. “Try to have them to hold it a little better. I think they’re doing a good job but just turn it up a little more. And I think we’re going to blitz a little bit more this week, too.”

It should be entertaining to see who blitzes as the Eagles have relied almost exclusively on their front four to pressure quarterbacks. Middle linebacker DeMeco Ryans is the only non-defensive lineman with a sack.

On the turnover front Vick has carried a football with him all week to get comfortable with it again. If that works, what’s next, Reid practicing management of three timeouts before noon, and three more in the afternoon?

Reid blew a timeout at midfield on the drive that gave the Eagles the lead last week in Pittsburgh. It would have come in handy while the Steelers were running the clock down before booting the triumphant field goal.

If the Eagles improve in the turnover department, on special teams and with their pass rush it should result in more points.

For Reid that would reduce the chest-pain decisions he made in consecutive weeks to ice the Giants kicker and go for it on fourth-and-one at his own 30-yard line in the fourth quarter.